AI in sales: hype or real game changer?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing sales - at least if you believe the numerous LinkedIn posts on this topic.

New AI tools that supposedly speed up, automate or personalize the sales process appear almost daily.

And there is no doubt that AI can create enormous added value, especially in a data and communication-driven environment such as sales.

But - and this is crucial - AI is not a miracle cure. It is no substitute for a strategy, a structured process and certainly not for sound sales expertise.

The most important areas of application for AI in sales

AI tools in sales can be used in many different ways today. Here are some of the most common and effective use cases:

Sales copywriting: Automated creation of emails, LinkedIn messages or offer documents. Tools like ChatGPT help you to formulate faster - if you know how.
Prospecting: Intelligent research and scoring algorithms help to identify relevant leads.
Call summaries & meeting notes: AI-supported tools such as Fireflies analyze calls and automatically summarize content.
Sentiment analysis: Tools such as Jabra Engage AI analyze the mood of the person you are talking to, enabling you to optimize the conversation.
CRM automation: AI recognizes patterns in customer data, recommends next steps and reduces manual input.
Sales forecasting: AI can provide more precise predictions about sales opportunities through data analysis and machine learning.
Process automation: Repetitive tasks such as follow-ups, reminders or lead routing are made more efficient by AI.

All this sounds tempting - and it is. But here comes the crucial point:

AI is only as good as the process in which it is embedded

AI can make tasks more efficient - but it cannot repair inefficient processes.

If there are unclear processes in sales, responsibilities are missing or leads are not processed properly, even the best tool won't help. It is a common misconception to believe that you can simply "cover up" weaknesses in the system with AI.

The truth is: Only a clearly defined, functioning sales process brings real results. That's why you need a sales playbook!

Why a sales playbook is the basis for successful AI use

A sales playbook is the digital sales guide for sales employees - structured, comprehensible, scalable. It defines:

Who, when, what does
How tools are used
What information is required
And which best practices have proven their worth

AI only really becomes effective with a playbook. Because if the process is clear, AI can efficiently accelerate individual steps such as email formulation or lead scoring - and thus deliver real added value.

AI remains ineffective without user expertise

Another critical point: AI tools are useless if they are used incorrectly or not at all.

Example: ChatGPT. Only those who know how to write effective prompts will generate relevant content. Otherwise, the tool will remain unused or deliver irrelevant results.

This also requires a playbook. With clear guidelines, employees receive step-by-step instructions and tool training, directly integrated into the workflows and tools that the team uses on a daily basis.

Instead of costly training courses, where hardly anything is retained afterwards anyway, employees learn how to use AI tools on the job through digital sales guidelines and thus use the tools correctly.